Thomas Freimuth from Germany and Katherine Calder from Canberra have won the 2007 Kangaroo Hoppet 42km. The Hoppet is the opening race of the 2007/2008 Worldloppet series of cross country skiing marathons, which are held in 14 countries around the world. A good freeze overnight saw the track hard and fast for the start, then softening under the sun during the day. Almost 1100 competitors from 22 countries entered in the three race distances of 42km, 21km, and 7km.

In the men's event six skiers broke away early on, including Freimuth, Adam Swank from the USA, 2006 runner-up Pascal Grab from Switzerland, and Australians Ben Sim from Cooma, Ben Derrick from Falls Creek and Chris Darlington from Jindabyne. Swank broke the pack up on the Paralyzer climb at the 12km mark, then Freimuth began a series of attacks over the top of the course that left him alone at the front with a short gap ahead of Sim. Grab started to have breathing problems from a rib injury caused by a fall earlier in the week, and after the 15km mark was only able to use one arm for the rest of the race. Sim was within 10-20 seconds of Freimuth until about the 30km mark when the elastic finally broke. Freimuth won in the time of 1:46:57, nearly two minutes ahead of Sim. Derrick skied up to Swank and the two worked together until they hit the Paralyzer for the second time, then Derrick had nothing left on the climb and it was all he could do to finish and hold onto fourth place ahead of Darlington in fifth.

Calder made a good start and already after Sun Valley had about a 30 second lead over Bottomley, Phillips, and Camille Melvey from Bondi. Her lead extended throughout the first 21km loop to be five minutes ahead of Bottomley, who had built up a 30 second lead over Phillips. Melvey dropped back through the field while Carla Zilstra-Evans from the Netherlands was moving up. Calder won in the time of 2:08:00, a massive 15 minutes ahead of Bottomley. Zijlstra-Evans took fourth place two minutes behind Phillips, with Irene Dunn from South Australia storming up through the field to take fifth and Samantha Bondarenko from New Zealand in sixth.

In the Australian Birkebeiner 21km event Alex Almoukov from Berridale was the first man across the line 40 seconds ahead of Simon Flower from Mt Beauty. Callum Watson from Cooma was over three minutes back in thrid place. Aimee Watson from Cooma was the first woman ahead of Chloe McConville from Myrtleford and Juliette Booth from Kew.

There was a sprint finish in the Joey Hoppet 7km event between Mark Pollock from Wangaratta and Phillip Bellingham from Mt Beauty, with Pollock overtaking over the last rise into the finish to take the win. Georgia Merritt from Ivanhoe was the first woman and third overall in the 7km. Anna Trnka from Mt Beauty just held off Aislinn Kildea from Wangaratta to take second place in the women.

Full results are available on the Kangaroo Hoppet website.

Courtesy XC News